The Riverwalk Master Plan represents the culmination of a focused planning process initiated by the Village of South Elgin long before Teska Associates' involvement in June 2006. Project participants, including Village Staff, Riverwalk Steering Committee, and Parks and Recreation Department, have rallied around a vision of an attractive and lively riverfront that connects the surrounding community to a high quality recreational destination.
Central to the vision is the need to build synergy between the riverfront area and emerging Village Center. Throughout the plan, environmentally sensitive design concepts are integrated not only to meet the requirements of the Village and County, but also to ensure that the plan balances the Village's public use needs with a healthy riverfront environment.
Features of the plan include vegetative buffer zones between development and the river's edge; integration of pervious surfaces; incorporation of native plant materials to stabilize eroding river banks; protection of open space areas for passive recreational uses and flood control; inclusion of open pavilions for public enjoyment while also reducing surface runoff; incorporation of artificial riffles and aquatic vegetation at the river banks to promote wildlife habitat; and emphasis on public education through interpretive signage.